Reporter’s diary

Press, 16 July 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Ann authorii

AGAIN THE vexed question of cbairhumans. At a debate conducted by the Heathcote Valley Community Association during the week-end the first speaker for the negative had several attempts at addressing the person in the chair, the member of Parliament for Lyttelton and Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Hercus. "You must be the New Zealand authority on this,” he pleaded. “How should I address you?” “Ann,” she said. High hopes AFTER THE eddies of boycotts and bans which surround international sports events such as the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, we wonder what the founders of such events would have thought. The roots of the Commonwealth Games go back to 1891 when a letter appeared in “The Times,” London. The writer, the Rev. J. Astley Cooper, suggested a festival of industry, science, culture and sport to be held in London every so often. He dreamed that such a gathering might increase “the good will and understanding between the nations of the Empire.” First Games

IT WAS NOT until 39 years after Cooper’s letter to “The Times” that the idea germinated into the first Empire Games, held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1930. These Games bore more resemblance to the Olympic Games than to the proposals mooted by Cooper, but he is still often credited with at least floating the idea. He even benignly wanted to invite the Americans into the fray. “No-one would grudge them a well' earned victory,” he said. Not for deletion HAVE YOUR expletives lost their ooomph? Are they tired and worn out?

Why not try this, a favourite cuss-phrase of an American law professor at the University of Oregon in the 19405: “Gee whiz, cracky-doodle Lanny, Dad Bobbit to Hobbin grimy — asphidity cock-robin.” Although he claimed it always worked, we cannot offer a money-back guarantee. Dirt money? DIGGINGS from the Woolston Cut have revealed more than the usual treasure of bottletops and car parts. While out walking on Sunday Mr Keith Christensen and his wife discovered a copper

coin, or medallion, in the dirt About the size of a 50c piece, it is inscribed: “Dunstable House, established 1854, Cashel Street Christchurch.” As far as can be seen, the other side mentions William Pratt, a direct importer of “every description of linen drapery and clothing.” Mr Christensen wonders if anyone can remember these “coins” or where they came from. ‘Square’ Peg around THERE REALLY was a Peggy, of peggy square fame. Two readers have

confirmed that during the late 1920 s or early 1930 s a young girl named Peggy Huse lived on a farm at Haywards, near Wellington. Like many others at that time, Peggy did what she could to help during the depression, and began knitting blanket squares. When a .member of her family took the squares to a committee in the city, she handed them over with the words: “They’re Peggy’s squares.” The name stuck. Mayoral identity LIGHTER MOMENTS of

borough and county council meeting are treasured for their rarity. In Raetihi recently, a misprint in the minutes which had members of the Borough Council clutching their sides was one which turned the Acting Mayor, Mr John Compton, into Mrs J. Compton. Deftly fielding the ribald comments about his overnight sex change, Mr Compton turned to the serious business of the day. When he asked for a seconder to a motion, a coy voice piped up from across the room: “Yes, I will, ma’am.” —Jenny Clark.